The Choice of Old Man
Early on
Friday 20 June 2014, South Jakarta.
"Alex!"
A little girl in a red and white uniform seemed to run towards a boy her age. The girl and the brown-haired boy were named Alexandra and Alexander Wijaya, sons of Sofyan and Athifa Wijaya. The father was a judge in the public court, while the mother was only a housewife. The twins are at odds for five minutes, Alexa was born after Alex came out of her mother's womb.
"Alex, go! We're going to the field, the ceremony's about to start!" said Alexa. He took his twin brother's hand.
Alex did not speak to Alexa. His eyes focused on several large-bodied people. The boy let go of Alexa's hand. "You go first. I'll be followed."
"I'm coming!"
Alex was about to walk, once he heard his twin sister wanted to follow him, he immediately turned around. "Cannot. You wait for me in the field."
"Why can't I come?"
"Anything is just. Wait for me in the field, I won't be long."
"Promise?" Alexa stuck out her little finger.
Alex smiled gently at the sister. He hooked his finger on Alexa's little finger. "I promise."
Before leaving, Alex rubbed the head of Alexa, then approached the gate. The girl joined the other students in the field, waiting for her twin brother to return before the flag ceremony began.
From grade one to grade five SD, Alexa and Alex are in the same class, they are inseparable by distance and always stick like stamps. Both always get the highest grades in the class. Moreover, they never once left the field during the ceremony.
****
Meanwhile, outside the school gates.
Sunlight is bright but not so hot, there are clouds that
thin layers like fine silk fiber feathers. Alex saw many packages of snacks scattered on the ground, until flying in the wind. The three thugs gasped as soon as they saw Alex coming.
One of the punk rock-haired thugs, looking at Alex from head to toe. Then the thugs smiled. "Hello handsome boy, can you come here for a minute?"
Alex looked back at the thug with a flat look. "You used to clean up the garbage on the streets" he asked, pointing to the highway.
"Ow ... How, yes ... We're in a hurry, here. Your mother asked us to tell you this, here we tell you." replied one of them with shiny bald hair.
Hearing this, Alex opened the gate, wanting to hear what her mother had told her. The three thugs threw satisfied smiles at each other.
"Follow us first, then we clear."
Alex turned around, glancing at Alexa from a distance. The little girl had been wearing a maroon-colored hat and was standing in the very back row. Then, he nodded in agreement. "Yes, I want to come."
The flag ceremony is about to begin. Alex did not return. Realizing that someone was out of the gate, Alexa took the initiative to approach him secretly without the knowledge of the other students who were lined up before him. At first just make sure, in case there are other students who run away during the flag ceremony. Apparently, he saw not another student but Alex, was crossing the street with three adult men.
"Alex! Where are you going?!" scream Alexa.
One of the thugs immediately pulled Alex's hand away from the school area. Alex looked at it for a moment. Now, her twin sister had set foot on the paved road. He tried to let go of the thugs' hand to stop Alexa from stepping towards him. Not yet had time to stop the twin, his body was lifted and put in a van.
Little Alexa shed tears watching her twin leave her. Both of his legs walked across the road on their own. While in the car, Alex thrashed while watching Alexa from the car window.
BRACKET!
"Alexa!!!"
Alex screamed, when he saw the body of his twin sister bounced to the edge of the road because it was hit by a sedan. The van he was riding was speeding away from the scene of the crime.
A woman came out with her son. The boy held Alexa's neck, making sure her pulse was still there. "Ma, he's alive."
His mother breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God. Can you carry him?"
"Can, Ma." The boy carried Alexa and carried her into the car.
The woman apologized to the other driver for causing the traffic jam. He will be responsible for the accident by taking Alexa to the nearest hospital.
After being rushed to the hospital, doctors diagnosed Alexa as having a concussion due to a heavy impact on her head, so her memory was lost for a while.
****
Saturday 27 December 2017.
Police officers attached one by one a piece of search paper for missing children. For two years, the police have been searching for Alexa. However, there is no result. No one at school knows. They only found out after seeing the cctv footage. Athifa is willing to spend 3 Billion for anyone who manages to find her son.
In the midst of the rising leaves the news Alex is missing. Sofyan had a wedding in a luxury building without Athifa's consent. The man married Ratna Dwiyanti, a woman who helped Alexa two years ago. Gavin Sanjaya is all about it. Sofyan's reason was only to repay Ratna's kindness, the woman herself asked. Ratna is a widow whose husband died.
Alex is the first person to learn of Sofyan and Ratna's marriage. He accidentally passed through a magnificent building in front of him filled with speech flowers, there the name of the father and the woman. Alex went in there, past the crowd of guests.
"Congratulations to Mr. Wijaya and Ms. Ratna!"
"May your marriage last until the end of your life!"
Sofyan smiled in front of the guests. He only invited people who knew Ratna, in this way the relationship will be safe without the knowledge of his colleagues, especially Athifa. Looking at the boy who was similar to Alex, the man's smile slowly faded.
Alex spat on the red carpet he was treading on, then went away from the crowd of guests. He and Gavin cross each other at the entrance. Gavin, who had wanted to get into the building, then turned around to follow Alex.
As Alex had set foot outside the building, suddenly came the three ruthless-faced thugs, dragging him into a small and deserted alley. Alex's body was kicked all out by the three. This time, the young man failed to pickpocket at a lavish wedding reception. He had expected it from the beginning, they would come to watch him.
After a few minutes, Gavin appears like a hero. The man pulled a gun out of his pocket, then shot at the backs of the three thugs. The gun has been paired with a silencer, so that the action is not known to others.
Gavin walked up to Alex who was lying under the asphalt. The young man stood up while holding his stomach which was painful. "Lo who?"
"The question is not important." Gavin looked at the clothes Alex was wearing. A thin plain black shirt with stitches on both of its short sleeves. The young man was wearing long jeans with a tear on his knee. The man smiled happily too. "Gue know you're gonna need some more money, right?"
Alex scrunched his forehead. "Where do you know?"
Gavin laughed dismissively. "Eh, do you not realize the same appearance of yourself? Try to bandingin' the same appearance I. It's different, right?"
"Not to talk. Get to the point."
"You want to join me?" ask Gavin. Suddenly a few people dressed in black suits stood behind the man. "Lo task is easy. But be careful, if you make a mistake ... You will know the consequences."
Alex nodded in agreement without thinking twice. "Deal. For money, whatever I do."
Gavin is a Mafia boss that not most people know about, as well as a drug dealer. His life is inversely proportional to Alex who comes from a rich family. Meanwhile, he only comes from a mediocre family.
Since childhood, Gavin always wanted to have a life like a rich person in general, being someone who is powerful and feared by anyone. His desire was realized thanks to conducting drug transactions without the police knowing. However, Gavin never tried to consume it.
Since his encounter with Gavin, Alex's life has changed drastically. He who was once just a pickpocket, now became rich thanks to the offer of the man. The work Gavin offers is straightforward, but risky. Every day, he had to find customers and sell drugs. Not only do drugs transactions, Alex is also an accomplice of Gavin. He used his martial arts to kill anyone he wanted.
TBC.
****